Six Indian experts to speak at Primakov Readings forum in Moscow on June 23-24
Synopsis
India is sending its largest-ever delegation to Russia's Primakov Readings — six experts spanning trade, security, AI, and geopolitics — as the forum debates a world order that its own organisers say has 'faded into history' since 2022. The breadth of India's participation signals New Delhi's intent to shape, not just observe, the conversation on what replaces the rules-based order.
Key Takeaways
The 12th Primakov Readings International Forum is scheduled for 23-24 June 2025 in Moscow , themed 'World Without Rules: Power Game?' Six Indian experts will speak across sessions on conflicts, trade, Eurasian security, AI, and military technology — the largest foreign delegation at the forum.
Speakers include Samir Saran (Observer Research Foundation), Pankaj Saran (National Security Advisory Board), and Lt Gen Dushyant Singh (Centre for Land Warfare Studies), among others.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is scheduled to address the forum.
Around 50 experts from 20 countries and more than 400 participants are expected to attend.
IMEMO President Alexander Dynkin stated the liberal rules-based world order has 'faded into history' between 2022 and 2026 .
Six prominent Indian experts are set to address the 12th Primakov Readings International Forum in Moscow on 23-24 June 2025, making India the largest foreign delegation at Russia's premier foreign policy conclave. The forum, themed 'World Without Rules: Power Game?', will bring together around 50 experts from 20 countries to debate the fracturing global order, regional conflicts, and the future of multilateral governance.
The Indian Delegation
The six Indian participants represent a cross-section of strategic, trade, and technology expertise. They are: Manjit Kripalani, Director of the Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations; Samir Saran, President of the Observer Research Foundation; Shishir Priyadarshi, President of the Chintan Research Foundation and former Director of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) from 2007 to 2022; Pankaj Saran, Convenor at NatStrat, National Security Advisory Board; Arvind Gupta, Head of the Digital India Foundation; and Lt Gen Dushyant Singh, Director General of the Centre for Land Warfare Studies.
Sessions and Agenda
The Indian speakers will participate in sessions covering 'Global Ramifications of Regional Conflicts', 'Global Order Scenarios for the Mid-Century', 'Barriers and Risks to Global Trade and Investment', 'Eurasian Security 2035: The CSTO Chair', 'AI and Digital Platforms: Global Competition', and 'The New Round of Military-Technological Competition'.
The forum will also examine the prospects for de-escalating conflicts in the Middle East, the potential for a new regional security architecture, the consequences of the New START Treaty termination, and the risks of arms control system collapse amid an accelerating arms race.
Key Speakers and Organisers
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is scheduled to address the forum. Russian Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev, and a wide array of international experts in security, world politics, and economics are also expected to attend.
The annual forum is organised by the Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy, the Evgeny Primakov Centre for International Cooperation, and the International Relations institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IMEMO). Alexander Dynkin, President of IMEMO, said: 'The rules-based liberal world order has faced harsh and fair criticism in Russia and globally. Between 2022 and 2026, it ultimately faded into history. We are witnessing a breakdown, an obvious fragmentation of the global political and economic architecture and an almost complete dictate of force in the sphere of international security.'
Scale and Significance
More than 400 representatives of the Russian and international scientific, expert, governmental, political, and business communities are expected to participate. Participating countries include India, the USA, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, China, Turkey, Qatar, Iran, South Korea, Uzbekistan, and others. Notably, the Indian contingent is the single largest foreign delegation at the forum — a signal of the growing strategic salience of the India-Russia dialogue on global governance questions at a time of deepening geopolitical turbulence.
The forum's discussions come amid a broader global debate over the future of multilateralism, with non-Western nations increasingly asserting an independent voice on security and trade architecture. India's participation across six distinct sessions underscores New Delhi's positioning as a key interlocutor in shaping the emerging world order.
Point of View
Maintaining substantive dialogue with Moscow even as New Delhi deepens ties with Washington and Brussels. The forum's framing, that the rules-based order is dead, is one India has conspicuously avoided endorsing publicly, making its prominent participation a careful balancing act. The presence of National Security Advisory Board and defence think-tank voices alongside trade and tech experts signals that India's Russia engagement is now multi-domain, not merely transactional on energy. How openly Indian speakers align with or push back against the forum's anti-Western framing will be closely watched in Western capitals.
NationPress
3 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Primakov Readings International Forum?
The Primakov Readings is Russia's premier annual foreign policy and international security forum, organised by the Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and allied institutions. The 12th edition, themed 'World Without Rules: Power Game?', is scheduled for 23-24 June 2025 in Moscow and will bring together around 50 experts from 20 countries.
Which six Indian experts are attending the Primakov Readings 2025?
The six Indian participants are Manjit Kripalani (Gateway House), Samir Saran (Observer Research Foundation), Shishir Priyadarshi (Chintan Research Foundation and former WTO Director), Pankaj Saran (NatStrat, National Security Advisory Board), Arvind Gupta (Digital India Foundation), and Lt Gen Dushyant Singh (Centre for Land Warfare Studies).
Why is India's participation at Primakov Readings significant?
India is the largest foreign delegation at the forum, with six speakers across sessions on trade, security, AI, and geopolitics. This signals New Delhi's intent to remain an active interlocutor in global governance debates even amid shifting geopolitical alignments.
What topics will be discussed at the Primakov Readings 2025?
Key discussion themes include the global consequences of regional conflicts, emerging world order scenarios, barriers to global trade and investment, Eurasian security under Russia's CSTO chairmanship, AI-driven international competition, and military-technological rivalry. The forum will also address Middle East de-escalation and the collapse of arms control frameworks.
Who else is speaking at the Primakov Readings 2025?
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is scheduled to address the forum. Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov and Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev are also expected to attend, alongside more than 400 representatives from government, academia, and business across 20 countries.
